Latchless door hinge



Jan. 11, 1966 MacDONALD LATGHLESS DOOR HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1962 D N mN mm mm WM w E B O R ATTO RN EYS Jan. 11, 1966 MacDQNALD 3,228,058

LATCHLESS DOOR HINGE Original Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H5 5 INVENTOR.

ROBERT D. MACDONALD BY w ATTO RNEYE:

United States Patent 3,223,958 LATrCHLES 900R HKNGE Robert D. MacDonald, Adrian, Mich, assignor to Cardinal of Adrian, Inc., a corporation of Michigan Original application Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,217, new

Patent No. 3,295,532, dated Sept. 14, 1965. Divided and this appiication Mar. 19, 1965, tier. No. 438,524

7 Claims. (Cl. 16184) This invention relates to an improved hinge for latchless doors and more particularly to a hinge capable of urging a door toward and beyond its closed position so that the door remains securely closed without the necessity of employing a latch.

Hinges of the general nature with which the present invention is concerned are designed to keep a door tightly closed without any latch at all and are primarily used for small doors, such as for cabinets. To accomplish this, the hinge has a spring on one portion which contacts an engageable part on a second portion in such a manner that the door is urged beyond its normally-closed position. Hence, the door, when closed, is continuously urged against the door stop and a latch is not necessary. Elimination of the latch eliminates the cost of it and the cost of installation, which is often a time consuming procedure in order to align the latch components properly. Further, the latch components often become misaligned during changes in the weather, particularly during periods of high and low humidity, so that readjustment is periodically required. Misalignment also occurs during wear of the components and settlement of the building containing the door and door frame. Hinges of this nature also have the advantage of closing the door tightly without bouncing, even if it is slammed shut.

The latchless door hinge according to the invention has several advantages over those heretofore known. The new hinge is less expensive, having fewer components and less complicated ones. The new hinge also has increased closing power which is particularly advantageous for heavier doors, such as those for large cabinets. In addition, the hinges can be pre-assembled in order to reduce field labor rather than having to be assembled on the job site when the doors are hinged to the frames.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a latchless door hinge having the advantages outlined above.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

P16. 1 is a fragmentary plan View, with parts in cross section, of a cabinet, latchless door, and hinge embody ing the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of the hinge shown in FIG. 1, but in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the hinge shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the hinge of FIGS. l3, in a closed position, with parts broken away and with parts in cross section;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view in cross section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a further modified hinge;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in perspective of the hinge shown in FIG. 6, but in an open position;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the hinge of FIG. 7, with parts broken away and with parts in section;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the hinge of FIGS. 6-8, in a closed position, with parts broken away and with parts in section; and

FIG. 10 is a view in cross section taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a cabinet 68 includes side walls 70, a hinge frame member 72, and a door stop frame member 74 having a bumper 76. A door 77, of the overlay type in this instance, covers the cabinet opening and is hinged to the frame member 72 by a hinge 73 embodying the invention. The hinge 78 includes a first portion 80 and a second portion 82 pivotally connected thereto. The first portion 80 includes a back plate 84 having openings 86 to receive screws 88 which are turned into the hinge frame member 72 to affix the hinge 73 thereto. The first portion 8%) also includes an extension plate 90 having a pivot pin opening 92 (FIG. 5) at the outer end thereof to receive a pivot pin or rivet 94-. The opening 92 is larger than the pin 94 and is of non-circular shape to receive a non-circular projection 96 of a sleeve bearing 98. The bearing 98 has a flat surface rec (FIG. 4) forming an edge or engageable part 102.

The second portion 82 of the hinge 78 includes a back plate 104 having openings 1.06 and 108 to receive screws 11!) which are turned into the door 77 to afiix the hinge portion 32 thereto. The portion 82 also includes an extension plate 112 which extends past the upper or lower edge of the door '77, the edges being recessed for the extension 112, if desired. The extension 112 has an opening 114 near the outer end thereof to receive an end of the pivot rivet 94 which is then flared to form a permanent pivotal connection between the portions 89 and 82. The sleeve bearing 98 between the extensions 99 and 112 facilitates pivotal movement between them, the bearing 98 preferably being of a slippery plastic material such as Teflon or Delrin. The extension 112 has an upturned flange 116 along a diagonal edge thereof and an upturned retaining car 118 struck upwardly from the extension 112 and spaced from the flange 116. A spring rod 120 is held between the flange 116 and the car 118 with the free end of the rod 126 riding on the bearing 98. The bearing holds the rod 120 in a sprung position displaced from its normal or unsprung condition.

When the door '77 is opened, the hinge 78 is in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the free end of the spring rod 124) contacting the arcuate portion of the bearing 98 with the force of the spring rod 12% being directed through the pivot pin 94-. Hence, only a slight drag results and this is kept to a minimum because of the minimum friction between the rod 120 and the bearing 98.

As the door 77 is moved toward a closed position and forms an included angle of roughly 25 with the face of the cabinet 68, the spring rod 12% comes in contact with the part 102 of the bearing 98 and begins to exert a force to one side of the pivot pin 94 as it moves beyond a position tangential to the bearing 98 at the part 1652. The resulting torque urges the door toward the closed position and the torque remains even after the door is closed because the spring rod 12% still contacts only the part 1162, rather than the entire fiat surface 104). Hence, the force of the spring rod 1213 continues to act to one side of the pivot pin 94 and the door isurged past a closed position. The hinge 78 is preferably arranged so that the door would ordinarily move, if not restricted by the frame member 74, to a position approximately 3 (FIG. 4) beyond the closed position, although any angle from 2 to at least 10 is suitable.

From the above discussion and description, it will be seen that the hinge is relatively uncomplicated and can be produced quite inexpensively. Further, the spring rod can be of almost any suitable size so as to produce a wide variation in force upon the engageable edge of the hinge member. It may also be noted that the spring can be fully assembled during the manufacture of the hinge so that the only field labor involved is attaching the back plate of the one hinge portion to the frame member and attaching the plate of the other hinge portion to the door.

Referring to the modification of FIGS. 6-9, a cabinet 122 includes side walls 124, a hinge frame member 126, and a door stop frame member 128 having a door bumper 130. A door 132 again is of the overlay type and is pivotally attached to the hinge frame member 126 by a hinge 134. The hinge 134 includes a first portion 136 and a second portion 138 which are pivotally connected. The first portion 136 includes a back plate 140' having openings 142 to receive screws 144 for fastening the portion 136 to the inner surface of the frame member 126, in this instance. The back plate 140 also forms a groove 146 (FIG. which receives a spring rod 148 having a loop 150 affixed to the plate 14%) by a rivet 152. The groove 146 enables the rod 148 to be flush with the back surface of the plate 140 so that the plate 140 can fit flush against the hinge frame member 126. The back plate 140 also has an out-turned flange 154, part of which is bent outwardly to provide a plate extension 156. The end of the extension 156 has an opening 158 (FIG. 8) which receives a pivot rivet 161) similar to the rivet 94.

The hinge portion 138 includes a back plate 162 having elongate openings 164 to receive screws 166 to affix the back plate 162 to the inner surface of the door 132. The plate 162 also has an extension 168 bent therefrom with an opening 176 (FIG. 9) to receive a non-circular projection 172 of a sleeve bearing 174 to prevent rotation of the bearing 174 relative to the hinge portion 138. The bearing 174 lies between the extensions 156 and 168; it also is of an oily plastic material and has a flat surface 176 and an edge or engageable part 178. The spring rod 148 extends beyond the back plate 140 and is bent to one side so that it bears against the bearing 174 at all times and the bearing 174 holds it in a sprung position displaced from its normal or unsprung position.

When the door 132 is open, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the spring rod 148 contacts the arcu-ate surface of the bearing 174 and has no appreciable effect on the opening and closing of the door. However, when the door is moved toward the closed position and reaches an angle of roughly 25 30 to the front plane of the cabinet 122, the spring rod 148 contacts the part 178 of the bearing 174. As the outer portion of the spring rod 148 moves beyond a position tangential to the bearing 174 at the part 178, the force of the spring rod is directed to one side of the pivot pin 160, thereby producing a torque tending to move the door 132 beyond the closed position. Again, this force would be exerted until the door would reach a position about 3 beyond,

the closed one, with a position anywhere from 2 to at least 10 beyond the closed position being satisfactory.

Various modifications of the above described embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and the tenor of the depending claims.

I claim: p

1. A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame so that the door will close tightly without a latch, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the frame and the other portion attachable to the door, said portions being spaced apart for all positions of the door including the closed position of the door, said first portion having engageable means held in a fixed position relative thereto and extending away from said hinge pin, an elongate spring positioned transversely of said hinge pin and having one end aifixed to said second portion and having an end portion at .the opposite end urged toward said engageable means to contact only said engageable means when the door is closed, said engageable means being positioned to direct a force to one side of said hinge pin when the door is closed, thereby producing a force tending to urge the door beyond the closed position.

2. A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame so that the door will close tightly without a latch, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the frame and the other of said portions being attachable to the door, said portions being spaced apart for all positions of the door, including the closed position, said first portion having a sleeve bearing through which said hinge pin extends, said first portion having engageable means held in fixed relationship with respect to said first portion, said second portion carrying an elongate spring at one end with said spring urged toward said engageable means and having a portion contacting only said engageable means when the door is closed, said engageable means being positioned to direct the force in a manner urging the door beyond the closed position when the door is closed.

3. A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame so that the-door will close tightly without a latch, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the frame and the other portion being attachable to the door, said portions being spaced apart for all positions of the door including the closed position, said first portion having engageable means, an elongate spring positioned generally perpendicular to said hinge pin, one part of said elongate spring being held by said second portion with a part of said spring spaced from the held part being in a sprung position by said engageable means so that said spring directs a force through said engageable means, said engageable means being arranged to direct the force to one side of said hinge pin when the door is closed, thereby producing torque tending to urge the door beyond the closed position.

4. In combination, a door hinge frame member, a door stop frame member, a door, a hinge for pivotally supporting said door with said door stop frame member being effective to stop said door in the closed position, and said door being spaced from said door hinge frame member for all positions, including the closed position, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the hinge frame member and the other portion being attachable to the door, said portions being spaced apart for all positions of the door including the closed position, said first portion having engageable means, said second portion'carrying an elongate spring positoned generally perpendicular to said hinge pin and urged toward said engageable means to direct a force through said engageable means, said engageable means being arranged to direct the force to one side of said hinge pin when the door is closed, thereby producing torque tending to urge the door beyond the closed position and beyond said door stop frame member.

'5. 'A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame so that the door will close tightly without a latch, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the frame and the other of said por tions being attachable to the door, said first portion comprising a back plate having openings to receive fasteners to afl'lx said first portion to the respective one of said door and said frame, said first portion including an extension plate extending outwardly from said back plate, said first portion also having engaging means fixed relative to said extension plate, an elongate spring having an end portion engageable only with said engaging means when said door is closed to urge said door beyond the closed position, said spring being positioned transversely to said hinge pin, said second portion including a back plate having openings to receive fasteners to afiix said second portion to the other one of said door and said frame, said second portion including an extension plate extending outwardly from said second back plate, said hinge pin connecting said extension plates, an end of said spring opposite said end portion being held by said second portion.

6. A hinge according to claim 5 wherein said back plates are parallel when the door is closed.

7. A hinge to pivotally connect a door to a frame so that the door will close tightly Without a latch, said hinge comprising a first portion and a second portion which are pivotally connected by a hinge pin, one of said portions being attachable to the frame and the other of said portions being attachable to the door, said first portion comprising a back plate having openings to receive fasteners to affix said first portion to the respective one of said door and said frame, said first portion including an extension plate extending outwardly from said back plate, said first portion also having engaging means fixed relative to said extension plate, an elongate spring having an end portion engageable with said engaging means When said door is closed to urge said door beyond the closed position, said spring being positioned transversely to said hinge pin, said second portion including a back plate having openings to receive fasteners to afiix said second portion to the other one of said door and said frame, said second portion including an extension plate extending outwardly from said second back plate, said hinge pin connecting said extension plates, the end of said elongate spring opposite the end engageable with said engaging means having an opening, said spring being affixed to said second back plate by a rivet extending through said opening and through said second back plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,379,814 5/1912 Gustafson 16142 3,006,039 10/1961 Brydolf 16-135 3,008,176 11/1961 Paine et a1. 16-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 786,674 8/ 1955 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

D. L. BURGESS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HINGE TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT A DOOR TO A FRAME SO THAT THE DOOR WILL CLOSE TIGHTLY WITHOUT A LATCH, SAID HINGE COMPRISING A FIRST PORTION AND A SECOND PORTION WHICH ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BY A HINGE PIN, ONE OF SAID PORTIONS BEING ATTACHABLE TO THE FRAME AND THE OTHER PORTION ATTACHABLE TO THE DOOR, SAID PORTIONS BEING SPACED APART FOR ALL POSITIONS OF THE DOOR INCLUDING THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE DOOR, SAID FIRST PORTION HAVING ENGAGEABLE MEANS HELD IN A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE THERETO AND EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID HINGE PIN, AN ELONGATE SPRING POSITIONED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID HINGE PIN AND HAVING ONE END AFFIXED TO SAID SECOND PORTION AND HAVING AN END PORTION AT THE OPPOSITE END URGED TOWARD SAID ENGAGEABLE MEANS TO CONTACT ONLY SAID ENGAGEABLE MEANS WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, SAID ENGAGEABLE MEANS BEING POSITIONED TO DIRECT A FORCE TO ONE SIDE OF SAID HINGE PIN WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, THEREBY PRODUCING A FORCE TENDING TO URGE THE DOOR BEYOND THE CLOSED POSITION. 